ExpertMedium4 marksStructured
AQA GCSE · Question 07 · Sociological Research Methods
Identify and explain one disadvantage of using unstructured interviews to investigate one-person households.
Identify and explain one disadvantage of using unstructured interviews to investigate one-person households.
How to approach this question
First, identify a known disadvantage of unstructured interviews (e.g., time-consuming, difficult to analyse, small sample size, potential for interviewer bias). This will get you 1-2 marks. Then, explain *why* this is a problem specifically for investigating one-person households. This explanation will get you the remaining marks.
Full Answer
One disadvantage is that the qualitative data generated is difficult to analyse and compare. Because each interview is a flexible conversation without set questions, each participant will give unique, detailed answers. This makes it hard for the sociologist to systematically compare the experiences of different people living in one-person households and to identify patterns, unlike with quantitative data from surveys.
Unstructured interviews are a qualitative research method that aims to generate rich, in-depth data (verstehen). However, they have practical and theoretical disadvantages. They are very time-consuming to conduct and transcribe. The data is hard to quantify and analyse, making it difficult to make generalisations. The sample sizes are usually small and may not be representative. The close relationship between interviewer and interviewee can also lead to interviewer bias, where the researcher's presence influences the answers given.
Common mistakes
A common error is to confuse unstructured interviews with structured interviews or questionnaires. Another is to identify a disadvantage but not explain it fully in the context of the question about one-person households.
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